Solitary Struggle
A black Rolls-Royce screeched to a halt before her.
Lily snapped out of her reverie, startled. As she moved to step back, the rear window slowly rolled down, revealing Ethan's cold, impassive face.
Suddenly, Lily felt an overwhelming urge to flee.
"You think you can ignore my orders?" Ethan regarded her from the car, his eyes flashing with unmistakable anger, his voice imperious and arrogant. "Get in."
Did she owe him?
His condescending demeanor made Lily want to lash out, but she held her tongue, forcing an innocent smile. "I'm sorry, but I have plans for tonight."
With that, she turned to leave.
Plans? With a man?
Did this woman not understand her place? She belonged to him!
Ethan's face darkened. He pushed open the car door and stepped out, closing the distance between them in two strides. Effortlessly, he grabbed Lily and shoved her into the car, his tall frame following close behind. "Drive," he barked at the chauffeur.
The car slowly pulled away from the curb.
"Ethan!" Lily cried out in fury. "Are you insane? We're in public!"
She couldn't believe he had just manhandled her into his car in broad daylight, in full view of everyone. Was he some kind of gangster?!
"Where were you on Tuesday night?" Ethan fixed her with a piercing stare, his eyes black and menacing, his voice cold and accusing. His domineering presence filled the car, making it hard to breathe.
Tuesday?
Lily recalled the strange phone call from a few days ago. They hadn't seen each other since then.
He hadn't called her again, and she had assumed that a man like him, who flitted from one woman to another, had already forgotten about her...
After all, with his background and status, he could have any woman he wanted. Who was she, Lily, in the grand scheme of things? She was well aware of her place.
But now, it seemed that was not the case... Was he planning to settle the score?
After a moment's contemplation, Lily feigned a look of sudden realization. "Oh... So that call was from you. I thought it was a prank call."
"..."
She couldn't even recognize his voice?
Very well.
She had successfully... ignited his fury.
Ethan glared at her, his anger simmering just beneath the surface, a fiery glint in his eyes. Lily felt a chill run down her spine and turned her head away, unable to meet his gaze.
She unexpectedly found herself pinned beneath him, his enormous stature dwarfing her small frame. His hands roamed over her body, his fingers deftly unbuttoning her blouse and sliding it off, revealing the lace of her bra.
Ethan's eyes darkened further with desire as he took in the sight of her delicate curves, hidden by a veil of tantalizing black lingerie. His gaze traveled downward, stopping at the apex of her thighs, a wicked grin spreading across his face.
It was a punishment, a brutal reminder of his dominance over her, of the power he held to bend her to his will.
Lily fought back tears, hating herself for the traitorous warmth that pooled in her belly, for the way her body responded to his touch despite the revulsion that filled her heart.
When Ethan finally released her, she lay there gasping, her lips swollen and bruised, and her cheeks flushed with shame and anger.
"Let me make one thing clear," he growled, his face mere inches from hers. "You belong to me. Your body, your time, your very existence—all of it is mine to do with as I please."
Lily stared up at him, defiance warring with fear in her eyes. "I don't belong to anyone," she spat, her voice trembling. "Least of all a monster like you."
Ethan's lips curled into a cruel smile. "You'll learn, Lily. One way or another, you'll learn your place."
The car came to a stop, and Ethan sat back, smoothing his suit as if nothing had happened. "We're here," he said, his tone once again cool and composed.
Lily sat up slowly, her heart pounding in her chest as she realized where they were.
Ethan's mansion loomed before them, a towering edifice of glass and steel that seemed to swallow up the night sky.
The door opened, and Ethan stepped out, extending a hand to her. "Come," he commanded, his eyes brooking no argument.
Lily hesitated, every instinct screaming at her to run, to flee this man and the dark desires that drove him.
But she knew it was futile. She was trapped, ensnared in a web of her own making, with no hope of escape.
With leaden steps, she took his hand and allowed him to lead her into the house, into the lair of the beast who had claimed her as his own.
As the door closed behind them, Lily felt a sense of finality settle over her, a grim acceptance of the fate that awaited her.
She had made her choice, and now she must bear the consequences.
In the twisted game of power and lust that Ethan Blackwood played, there could be no winners.
Only survivors.
And Lily was determined to survive, no matter the cost to her body or her soul.